The beauty glossary
The words you meet when you book, explained plainly, with a note on whether each one is on our menu.
88 terms
Nails
- Acrylic nailsNail extensions built from a liquid and powder that harden in the air into a strong, long lasting artificial nail.Not on our menu
- BIAB (builder in a bottle)A soft builder gel that is brushed on from a bottle like polish, giving natural nails a strong overlay that lasts three to four weeks.Not on our menu
- Builder gelA thick gel that is sculpted onto the nail and cured to add strength or length, firmer and longer wearing than gel polish.Not on our menu
- CallusA patch of thick, hard skin the body builds where the foot or hand rubs or bears weight, most often on the heel, ball of the foot or a toe.
- CuticleThe thin band of skin at the base of the nail that seals the gap between nail and finger and protects new nail as it grows.
- Dip powderA nail system where each nail is brushed with a bonding resin and dipped into coloured powder, layered to a hard, lamp free finish.Not on our menu
- French manicureA nail look with a sheer pink or nude base and a crisp white line painted along the tip, in ordinary polish or gel.
- Gel manicureA full manicure completed in gel colour cured under a lamp, so the nails are hard and glossy at once and stay that way for two to three weeks.On our menu
- Gel pedicureA full pedicure completed in gel colour cured under a lamp, which on the toes often holds for a month or longer.On our menu
- Gel polishA nail colour that stays soft until it is cured under a UV or LED lamp, then sets hard and glossy for two to three weeks on the hands.On our menu
- Heel careThe part of a pedicure that softens, files and moisturises hard, dry or cracked skin on the heels.On our menu
- ManicureA treatment for the hands and nails: shaping, cuticle care, a hand massage and polish, done at your own table.On our menu
- Nail artDecoration painted or placed on the nail over the colour: lines, dots, flowers, chrome powder, glitter, foils or small stones.
- Nail extensionsArtificial length added to the natural nail with tips or forms and a hard material such as acrylic or builder gel.Not on our menu
- Paraffin treatmentDipping the hands or feet in warm melted paraffin wax, then wrapping them so the heat softens dry skin and eases stiff joints for a few minutes.Not on our menu
- PedicureA treatment for the feet and toenails: a soak, heel care, nail shaping, a foot massage and polish.On our menu
- Russian manicureA dry, detailed manicure that uses an electric file and fine bits to lift and remove the cuticle completely, so polish sits right at the base.Not on our menu
- ShellacA brand name for one gel polish system, so widely used that many women say it to mean any gel colour cured under a lamp.Not on our menu
- Soak-off (gel removal)Taking gel polish off by filing the shine, wrapping each nail in acetone soaked cotton for ten to fifteen minutes and lifting the softened gel away.Not on our menu
Hair
- BalayageA colouring technique where lightener is painted freehand onto the surface of the hair, giving soft, natural looking highlights that grow out gently.Not on our menu
- Blow-dryDrying freshly washed hair with a hairdryer and a round brush to set it smooth, wavy or full, so the shape holds for a few days.On our menu
- Event hairstyleHair styled to hold through an evening: an updo, pinned waves, a sleek ponytail or soft curls set with pins and spray.On our menu
- Hair colourChanging the shade of the hair with a permanent, semi permanent or temporary dye, from covering grey to a full new colour or highlights.Not on our menu
- Hair extensionsAdded human or synthetic hair attached to your own for length or volume: clip-in pieces for a night, or tape, weft and bonded types that stay in for weeks.Not on our menu
- Deep conditioning maskA rich conditioning treatment left on the hair for ten to thirty minutes, often with heat, to put moisture and softness back into dry or damaged hair.On our menu
- HaircutCutting the hair to a new length or shape, or trimming the ends to remove splits, usually followed by a blow-dry to show the shape.Not on our menu
- Keratin treatmentA chemical smoothing service that coats the hair in a keratin solution and seals it with a flat iron, cutting frizz for two to four months.Not on our menu
- Protein treatmentIn the Gulf, usually a chemical smoothing service like keratin that uses a protein based formula and a hot iron to straighten and shine the hair for a few months.Not on our menu
- Repair treatmentA conditioning service for dry or damaged hair: a deep mask with a scalp massage, rinsed and blow-dried, to restore softness and shine.On our menu
- Scalp massageSlow, firm fingertip pressure worked over the whole scalp for five to fifteen minutes, usually while a mask or oil is on the hair.On our menu
- UpdoAny hairstyle where the hair is gathered and pinned up off the neck: a bun, chignon, twist or braided crown.On our menu
Makeup
- Airbrush makeupFoundation sprayed onto the skin as a fine mist through a small compressor gun, giving a thin, even, long wearing base.Not on our menu
- Day makeupA light, even makeup for daylight: skin that still looks like skin, softly defined brows and eyes, a natural lip and nothing heavy.On our menu
- Evening makeupA full, long wearing makeup for evening light and photographs: fuller coverage, defined eyes, lashes, contour and a set finish that lasts the night.On our menu
- False lashes (strip lashes)A band of lashes glued along the lash line for one wearing, taken off at night; the quick way to add length and fullness for an evening look.On our menu
- HD makeupA style of makeup using fine, light diffusing products applied thinly so the skin looks flawless on high resolution cameras and up close.Not on our menu
- Setting sprayA fine mist sprayed over completed makeup to melt powder into the skin and help the whole face last longer through heat, sweat and long hours.
- Soft glamA polished, photo ready makeup that sits between day and full evening: smooth skin, warm neutral eyes, fluffy lashes and a soft lip.
Waxing and threading
- Bikini lineThe strip of hair along the top and sides of the underwear line; a bikini line wax removes only what would show outside a swimsuit.On our menu
- Brazilian waxA wax that removes most or all of the hair in the bikini area, front and back, going well beyond the bikini line.Not on our menu
- Double dippingPutting a spatula back into the wax pot after it has touched skin, so the shared wax is no longer clean; a practice to avoid.
- Full body waxA single appointment that waxes the main areas of the body in one visit, usually the arms, legs, underarms and bikini line.On our menu
- Hard waxA thicker wax applied warm that sets on the skin and is peeled away by hand without a strip, often chosen for small or sensitive areas.Not on our menu
- Laser hair removalA clinic treatment that uses light energy to damage hair follicles over a course of sessions so that hair grows back finer and slower.Not on our menu
- Soft wax (strip wax)A warm wax spread thinly on the skin and removed with a cloth or paper strip, used for larger areas such as legs and arms.On our menu
- Sugaring (halawa)Hair removal with a warm paste of sugar, lemon and water that is pressed onto the skin and flicked off, taking the hair with it.Not on our menu
- Underarm waxRemoving underarm hair from the root with wax, a quick service that leaves the area smooth for a few weeks.On our menu
- Wax strip and spatulaThe wooden spatula that spreads soft wax and the cloth or paper strip that lifts it off; both should be new for each client.
- WaxingHair removal in which warm wax is spread on the skin, grips the hairs and is pulled away so they come out from the root.On our menu
Lashes and brows
- Brow laminationA treatment that softens and resets brow hairs so they can be brushed up and held in a fuller, more uniform shape for several weeks.Not on our menu
- Brow shapingRemoving hair around the brow and trimming its length to give the brow a defined line that suits the face.On our menu
- Brow tintColouring the brow hairs with a semi-permanent dye to make them look darker, fuller and more defined for a few weeks.Not on our menu
- Henna browsA brow tint that uses a henna-based powder mixed with water to stain both the brow hairs and the skin beneath, giving a filled-in look that lasts longer on the skin than a regular tint.Not on our menu
- Korean lash liftA style of lash lift associated with Korean salons that aims for a softer, more natural curl than a tight lift, often with lash-by-lash placement.Not on our menu
- Lash extensionsSynthetic or silk fibres glued one by one onto each natural lash with a semi-permanent adhesive to add length and volume for several weeks.Not on our menu
- Lash liftA treatment that curls your own natural lashes upward from the root using a shield and setting lotions, so they look longer and more open without extensions.On our menu
- Lash tintColouring the natural lashes with a dye made for use around the eyes, so they look darker and fuller without mascara.On our menu
- ThreadingHair removal in which a twisted cotton thread is rolled over the skin to catch and lift hairs from the root, most often used to shape the brows.On our menu
Massage
- Deep tissue massageA massage that uses slow strokes and firm, sustained pressure to reach the deeper layers of muscle, usually focused on the back, neck and shoulders.On our menu
- Hot stone massageA massage in which smooth heated stones are placed on the body and used in the therapist's hands so the warmth relaxes the muscle before and during the strokes.Not on our menu
- Moroccan bathA steam bathing ritual in which the body is softened with steam, coated in black olive soap and scrubbed down with a coarse glove to remove dead skin.Not on our menu
- Prenatal (pregnancy) massageA massage adapted for pregnancy, with the client lying on her side or propped with cushions and gentler pressure that avoids the abdomen and certain points.Not on our menu
- ReflexologyA treatment that applies thumb and finger pressure to specific points on the feet, and sometimes the hands, based on the idea that they correspond to areas of the body.Not on our menu
- Relaxing massageA full body massage at light to medium pressure, using long flowing strokes to ease tension and calm the body rather than work deep into the muscle.On our menu
- Swedish massageThe classic Western massage technique of long gliding strokes, kneading, friction and light tapping with oil, at light to medium pressure.
- Thai massageA clothed massage done on a floor mat without oil, combining pressure along the body's lines with assisted stretches that move you through yoga-like positions.Not on our menu
Henna
- Black hennaA paste sold as henna that stains the skin black quickly; it is usually not henna at all but a hair-dye chemical called PPD, a known cause of serious skin reactions.Not on our menu
- Emirati hennaThe henna style traditional to the Emirates, from the older solid fingertip and palm patterns to today's fine Khaleeji trails.
- Floral hennaHenna designs built from flowers, petals and leaves rather than geometric fill, drawn in either a light open style or a fuller one.On our menu
- HennaA paste made from the ground leaves of the henna plant that stains the skin a reddish brown, used to draw temporary designs on the hands and feet.On our menu
- Henna coneA small rolled plastic cone filled with henna paste, with the tip snipped to a fine opening, used to pipe the design onto the skin.
- Henna stainThe reddish brown colour left in the top layer of skin after henna paste is removed, which darkens over a day or two and fades within weeks.
- JaguaA plant-based gel from the juice of a South American fruit that stains the skin a blue black, used as a temporary tattoo and as a safer alternative to black henna.Not on our menu
- Khaleeji hennaThe Gulf style of henna design: bold flowing lines, open space and floral or vine motifs, usually along one side of the hand and up the fingers.On our menu
- MehndiThe South Asian name for henna body art, often used for the dense, detailed style of design associated with Indian and Pakistani weddings.On our menu
Bridal
- Bridal hairThe wedding-day hairstyle, built to hold for many hours under a veil, headpiece or jewellery and to match the dress and the makeup.On our menu
- Bridal hennaThe fullest henna a woman wears: hands and arms to the elbow and feet to the ankle, drawn for the wedding in the days before it so the stain is at its darkest on the day.On our menu
- Bridal makeupMakeup designed for the wedding day: built to last many hours, to photograph well under flash and stage light, and to match the look agreed at the trial.On our menu
- Bridal trialA full rehearsal of the wedding-day hair and makeup weeks before the wedding, so the look is decided, recorded and repeatable on the day.On our menu
- VeilThe length of tulle or lace worn over or behind the bride's hair, fixed with a comb or pins, which the hairstyle must be built to carry.
Hygiene
- AutoclaveA sealed chamber that sterilises metal tools with high-pressure steam at a set temperature for a set time, the standard method for tools that touch skin.
- Indicator stripA strip, tape or printed patch that changes colour when exposed to the conditions inside a sterilisation cycle, showing that a pouch or load went through the process.
- Patch testApplying a small amount of a product to a patch of skin a day or two before a treatment to see whether it causes redness, itching or swelling.
- Single-useAn item used for one client only and then discarded, because it cannot be cleaned and sterilised properly: files, buffers, wax strips, spatulas, mascara wands and the like.
- Sterilisation pouchA sealed paper-and-film bag that tools are sterilised inside and stored in, keeping them sterile until the pouch is opened in front of the client.
Occasions
- EidThe two festivals of the Muslim year, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, marked by family visits, new clothes and, for many women and girls in the Gulf, fresh henna.
- Henna nightA women's gathering held in the days before a wedding, where the bride's henna is applied and her family and friends celebrate with her.
- MajlisThe room in a Gulf home set aside for receiving guests, and by extension the gathering held there; the women's majlis is where female relatives and friends meet.
Choose a time. She comes to you.
A 20% deposit holds your booking, and the concierge is a message away if you would like help choosing.